Goroslav Keller
Episode · #107
BREND FORUM Goroslav Keller
Guest Goroslav KellerHosted by Božo SkokoMay 3, 2026
Goroslav Keller
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation
Few remember that 1960s Yugoslavia was an early leader in marketing innovation, with concepts and agencies that influenced the wider region. Goroslav Keller, a distinguished university professor and marketing expert, was both an observer and a participant in that era's advertising and communications industry. He offers a rare, firsthand account of how brands like Vegeta shaped daily life, how agencies like OZEHA evolved from political propaganda, and why Zagreb became a hub for design and marketing education. This conversation challenges the conventional view of a centrally planned economy, revealing how creativity and market principles found their footing, and what lessons from that unique history still apply today.
Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
Zlata Barčol, the creator of Vegeta, lived in a small apartment despite her immense contribution to the brand's success and regional economic growth. The guest laments this reality, noting it is difficult to motivate new generations to pursue such paths when the actual creators are not financially recognized in their lifetime.
02
Pavle Gaži, after his Fulbright scholarship, returned to Podravka in the 1960s convinced that American marketing principles could be adapted to the local system. The lesson is that successful marketing isn't about blind imitation, but about translating universal strategies into a local context, finding synergy with existing culture and work ethic.
03
Podravka sponsored children's cartoons before the evening news, effectively dividing the family day for generations. This wasn't mere advertising; it was a deliberate act of shaping daily routines, demonstrating that lasting brands integrate themselves into the fabric of everyday life, becoming a part of the culture itself.
04
In the 1970s, Zagreb emerged as a hub for marketing and design, with the Faculty of Economics establishing the first marketing program in Yugoslavia in 1964. This shows that true industry leadership isn't just about individual talent, but about building an ecosystem of education, agencies, and infrastructure that nurtures a discipline from the ground up.
05
OZEHA began as an agitprop agency, a political propaganda tool, before evolving into a creative advertising powerhouse as Yugoslavia shifted towards a market economy. Its story shows that the core function of communication can adapt to vastly different political and economic systems, transforming from ideological messaging to commercial branding.
06
Economist Branko Horvat once stated that 'the market functions best within the framework of a planned economy,' a seemingly absurd idea that Keller applies to present-day global economies. The point is that even 'free' markets operate within defined parameters, suggesting that some structural planning can enhance efficiency and stability rather than stifle innovation.
07
Marko Goluža's 'Mala zemlja za veliki odmor' (A small country for a great vacation) for Croatian tourism endured for decades, while its current replacement, 'Full of life,' struggles for recognition. The difference isn't just in the words, but in the ability of a slogan to deeply capture and retain the essence of a place, becoming an inseparable part of its identity.